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Today the words of the Psalmist “who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3) are fulfilled in the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter, James and John are stand on the holy mountain with Jesus, who strengthens their faith before his imminent death. Jesus gives them a glimpse of his divinity, bringing to fulfillment the prophecy of Daniel (first reading). Jesus is the son of Man! He is true God and true man.

There is nothing on earth that can be compared to our friendship with Jesus. St. Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds us we are “predestined” “called” “justified” and “glorified” (second reading). Certainly, God has a plan for each one of us. He gives our relationship a direct link to eternal life every day. The most difficult yet simple way to seek the Kingdom of God is to render our “hearts” as a whole to God by abandoning the weight of materialism behind in search of what will truly give us inner peace and authentic posterity.

“The Bride of Christ prefers to use the medicine of mercy rather than arm herself with weapons of rigor”, were the opening words of Saint Pope John the XXIII at the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. We are invited this Sunday to see beyond the tranquility of a good soil and a good seed. The confusion and chaos of our world is not veiled from God. He knows! Yet God wants us to understand that we cannot be in full harmony with the world because the timelessness our hearts’ cravings. God descends and stoops to us so that we too might be patient with our neighbors.

Nature is full of divine lessons that reveal God to us. The freshness or the lush of plants around us is an eloquent testimony of roles that the soil, water and sunlight play in sustaining vegetation on planet earth. Into day’s gospel Jesus reminds us that the human heart is the soil on which the Word of God is planted. Therefore, the growth of the kingdom of God takes place in the heart or soul of every Christian. More so, God’s divine plan is directly linked to our willingness to cooperate with Him (God). What kind of soil am I?

The zeal of God for all souls is often manifested in His special love for the poor. At his birth Jesus was laid on grass and at his death a tomb had to borrowed for his burial. “Behold your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey…” (first reading). The prayer of the poor echoes a symphony of absolute dependence and reliance on God.This is why God does not despise the prayer of the humble and contrite heart (cf. Psalm 51). In actual fact, greatness needs no trumpet and goodness needs no advertisements.

The readings of today beautifully remind us that we are part of a much bigger story than we often think. We are invited to be "other-centered" with all our God-given talents and wealth, then we will join 'the humble of the land who do God's commands' (First reading). When we are humble in life, there is nothing to be afraid of. Fear steps in when our souls are arrogant, justifying our fear of everything and everyone.

Life is replete with ups and downs, joy and sorrow, happiness and sadness but the scripture exhorts us constantly look up to Him who brings our work and efforts to fruition. God is always revealing a new stage of growth in our lives through circumstances that perhaps we never bargained for. Initially, the shedding of God's light could be disconcerting and very painful but if we hold on to the course, life takes on a new meaning and purpose. If we allow Jesus light up our way, our "weeping may last for the night but a shout of joy come in the morning". Ps. 30:5.